The invention relates to the development of a new electrical grade porcelain formulation having improved mechanical and dielectric properties, intended primarily for use in electrical components, such as electrical insulators. The main aim of the invention is to provide a new alternative that can be used to enhance the final properties of an electrical grade porcelain, owing to the incorporation of suitable concentrations of nanometer-scale ceramic oxides, as part of the initial composition of the porcelain paste. This new nanotechnology alternative enhances the final properties of the electrical grade porcelain, such as bending strength and cold modulus of rupture, as well as dielectric strength, owing to the incorporation of ceramic oxides, such as alumina (α-Al2O3) and zirconia (ZrO2), at a micrometer scale (i.e. less than 100 nanometers), favourably modifying the microstructure of the base porcelain. The mechanical strength, specifically the three-point bending strength, of the porcelain compositions of the present invention is up to 38% greater than that of the composition of a conventional silica-based porcelain. Moreover, the insulation capacity of the composition of the invention is up to 30% greater than that of the reference siliceous porcelain. In addition, the invention is based on the idea that the ceramic nano-oxides of alumina (α-Al2O3) and zirconia (ZrO2) reinforce the microstructure of the siliceous porcelain, since the quantity of crystalline phase is increased and, consequently, the amorphous phase is reduced. Furthermore, the ceramic nano-oxides promote an increase in the concentration of the mullite crystalline phase (3Al2O3.2SiO2) in the microstructure, which is known to benefit the mechanical performance of triaxial porcelains.
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